Living in artic rural Minnesota and driving a 300TD has made me want a diesel fired coolant heater. Ideally I would like an Espar Hydronic D4 that would not only heat the engine but warm up a vegetable oil tank (not done yet). It would allow my car to start on these outrageous -30 temp days as well as efficiently heat the veg oil so I use less diesel on start up.

Today I found this item on Ebay. New, and it is comparable in btu's/size to a D4. One problem is it is 24volt and no wiring harness. How hard would this be to solve? Also it doesn't have a 7 day timer which I could live without.

Stewart-Warner Southwind diesel coolant heater

Here is a link to the Espar Hydronic D4. You will see the specs are roughly the same. The Espar kit is about $1,000. You can see why I ask about the Southwind.

Espar Hydronic D4

Thanks!

Look up school bus and truck repair shops and find out what they would charge to put a diesel fired engine and interior heater Down here a shop will install a Webasto for $1200.00 for my 85 300SD. I can change the heater unit with other vehicles. It comes on automatically through a timer and consumes diesel from the tank. It has a circulating pump and it does the job.
For the money, it seems a good deal, as opposed to those military add-ons.

We used those heaters in Korea in the winter as most tactical vehicles had no glow plugs, no block heaters. They were a pain in the a$$ as they needed constant maintenance due to the "thermosiphon' feature of it. I think you may be buying a $200 headache. My .02

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83 240D 118K sweet 4 speed
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84 300d (loaner to my sister) 189K
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You do realize how large that thing is, right?

I would look around a bit for a unit that is smaller and a bit cheaper in the long run. I got one from a yard in Sweden for 100 dollars, I keep an eye out for another if you like.

I would not want to get a unit without the timing controls for the heater. My unit has a heating period where the glowplug heats up, then the fuel pump turns on for x time with the fan going, then when the flame sensor sees that it has fired up, it turns the glowplug off and speeds up the fan and fuel pump to full output. It also controls the water pump and interior fan. So not a very simple unit. It will also refire the unit if it fails to start.

Thanks for the good advice, I figured it would be getting over my head. I will not be bidding on the military unit.

How did you find a unit in Sweden for $100? Webasto or Espar? That's a pretty amazing price, did it need any new parts?

Thanks for the offer, if you have had success with the unit I would surely buy one from you if you can get another. All I'm looking for is a diesel fired unit with about 15,000btu.

I just went to the junk yard and there it was looking back at me from the engine compartment of a Saab 900. Here's a link to something a wrote up awhile back about it.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w123-e-ce-d-cd-td-te-class/1286373-diesel-parking-heater.html

Picts at the bottom of the page or link to them.

its 4,7kw or about 16000BTU's, no new parts needed, just a little change to a part on the inside. If I find another one I'll grab it for you and make up a part like the one I have on mine. Took about 3 min.

That's sweet! I want one too!
John

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Wow thank you very much, I really appreciate it! Please email me details if you find one. That is quite the setup you have on your benz. Very nice clean install!

Do you know why these parking heaters are more common in Europe? It seems odd to me because I wouldn't think it's colder there than it is here in northern Minnesota, is it?

I think the reason there are more over in europe is because of 1 emissions, and 2 wear and tear on the car. Up in Sweden almost everyone plugs their car in during the winter, yep thats right Gas cars too. I remember seeing the emissions graph, emissions ver. engine temp and in really cold weather there is a ton of emissions and that is the same for mpg, use a little fuel to heat the car, then a little to drive it. Plus its very nice to be able to have a hot car/ engine where ever you go.

The cars cost a bit more money here and I think that adding a parking heater is a minimal of extra cost in the long run.

Thanks for the comment on the install, took a little time to get it all right, but I'm very happy with it and use the system everyday I'm in the car.

I see, that does make sense. Relatively this car has low miles and I hope to put many on it. Yet another positive for buying a parking heater.

Graminal, are you located in Europe? The price of fuel over there is probably another reason.

Right now I am in Sweden, but seen to be back in the states. My gf lives over here and I should be moving over here in the next year and then comes the task of finding work!!

Oh ya is fuel expensive here, lets see

10.54Skr/L = 1.49USD/L = 5.64USD/Gal

So thats what, more then twice the price then back in the US. You bet its expensive, I walk a lot more here (cost of fuel and the fact that I can get around easily by walking)

I should be heading to the yard tomorrow on my way to see a really Nice 75' Saab 95!!

I'll get back to you about the heater soon.

Wow, yes at $5.64 walking is a good option! Depending on the engine seems like you could pay for a parking heater pretty quick at those prices.

Thanks again for going to look in the yard. Good luck with the car you're going to see and with the job hunt!

Well I went to the yard and no parking heaters, sorry. I'll drop by again next time I'm back in Sweden but that won't be for sometime. Hope you find something that works for you.

You can look for Ardic at www.blocket.se there was a few on there over the past year for not to much.

Saab was a bust, looked a lot better in the pictures. Oh well, the search continues.

hello all.i have 4 combustoin heaters 60.000 btu/hr south wind and 4 coolent heaters 23,000 btu/hr.might be more.these are out of lances ex military.got control units.iv bench started these i hav with me.they sound nice when they start and are warn.

paddy70.
Welcome to the forum!!
This thread is rather old. You would be better sending those members a private message to gauge their interest.

Good Luck !!

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1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
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1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
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